


Thine Afflictions (Have Caused Us to Grieve)

by Beckon



Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Dragon Grotto, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Minor Injuries, Post-MKX, Revenants
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:55:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24542689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beckon/pseuds/Beckon
Summary: Holding the unconscious Revenant close to his chest, Fujin stares at the holy shrine in front of him and questions if his own desperation is clouding his judgement. If it is guilt that is guiding him, or rational thought.He questions if it even matters.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25





	1. Chapter 1

It is quiet.

And yet, the silence thunders in the back of his head.

It pounds in his chest, erratically, filling in the emptiness between the beats of his heart.

Fujin tries to keep his focus where it matters.

He focuses on the weight in his arms, on the cold breaths that he can feel against his throat.

And he tries to ignore the way each breath comes out ragged and labored; they hiccup between each other, as though something is trying to prevent the next breath from coming out.

A chest wound, Fujin thinks, like something has hit the man hard enough to offset his lungs.

It is a good sign nonetheless.

_He is still breathing._

Invoking fear into a God was a difficult task.

And yet, Fujin cannot stop his own sense of panic from flooding his mind.

He tightens his hold once more, afraid to lose the man in his arms again- and yet admitting that he cannot bring himself to look at him.

_Coward._

Fujin figures he always has been.

That was why he was here now, twenty-five years too late.

After twenty-five years of wasted opportunities to correct his mistakes.

The passing of time means nothing to a God.

But to a mortal, it is a quarter life already wasted.

But he thinks, at least he is doing something now, at least he is here now.

Fujin takes a deep breath, feeling the coldness that runs down his throat when he does, before he forces himself to look down at the heavy weight he carries in his arms and in his chest.

_Kung Lao._

Even thinking his name sends a tremor throughout his body.

Long gone is the youthful, agile Shaolin that Fujin had once taken under his wing. The same Shaolin he had shown favoritism towards, despite the moral conflicts that came with it. But he couldn't help it; Fujin had seen a younger version of himself in the man, and had sought out to teach him what lessons he could pass on to mortals.

Raiden had always cared towards Liu Kang, despite the former's dismissal of the fact.

Fujin saw this as being no different.

But the man he carries with him now shares no resemblance but a name to the man Fujin had known before.

Corrupted by Quan Chi's sorcery, the student he had known as Kung Lao was gone.

But as Fujin focuses on how the blue lighting around them conflicts with the yellow energy underneath the Revenant's skin, he knows that Kung Lao isn't gone forever; he knows he has a chance of bringing him back.

The Jinsei, now stabilized, now cleansed, would've been too strong for the wounded man in his arms.

It would've taken every ounce of the dark energy inside of him and imploded it, killing the Revenant in the process.

Or the purifying method would've been too rough; it would've drained the negative energy out too quickly- and it would've left Kung Lao dying in the aftermath of it.

Fujin knows the Jinsei has been restored, but he still has doubts about how Shinnok's energy had once inhabited it.

Raiden has sacrificed his own health, his own life to purify the Jinsei.

But energy could not be destroyed.

Especially not when it came from someone as powerful as Shinnok.

It had to have gone somewhere.

[He cannot risk it.]

Which is why he is here now, at the Grotto Shrine instead.

The excess energy from the Jinsei pools down into the holy relic, forming the glowing pool that is surrounded by daily gifts and prayers for good luck. It is less concentrated, but more stabilized. Any of the excess energy from the Jinsei had been consumed during the corruption ordeal, meaning the energy that remained in the Grotto had been left untouched by Shinnok's power.

Fujin knows he can control the flow of the Grotto's energy by proximity to his own energy.

It is a desperate bid.

But he knows that it is also his last option.

Holding the unconscious Revenant close to his chest, Fujin stares at the holy shrine in front of him and questions if his own desperation is clouding his judgement. If it is guilt that is guiding him, or rational thought.

He questions if it even matters.

Through slow breaths, Fujin steps past the collected gifts and steps down into the glowing energy that awaits him.

Almost immediately, he feels the warmth of it circulating through his body; it is a welcoming embrace given the battle he has just come from.

Fujin feels the Jinsei energy course through him, healing the injuries he has received and restoring his own energy in the process.

The Grotto at its shallowest point is still knee-high to him.

He moves further into the shrine, stepping beyond the decorative centerpiece of dragons and moving towards the darker concentrations of energy. He feels the liquid Jinsei slowly rise up to his thighs now; he feels the energy vibrating in his bones, filling in any empty spaces it can find inside of him.

It is calming.

As he steps into one of the darker pools, he knows he is deep enough now.

Despite the warm energy circulating around him, circulating through him, Fujin can still feel the trembling in his hands, the coldness that still lingers in his breath. He looks down at Kung Lao once more; the man still isn't moving. Fujin takes notes of the open wounds that have cut through the former Shaolin; he takes notes of his scorched skin- cracked and peeling in the hands that are holding him.

His face is still locked in a tense expression, in a look of pain.

It reminds him that this is still just a theory.

By design, the Grotto should work, but he doesn't have proof yet.

And unless he does it now, unless he can prove it now, he would never know.

Tossing anyone into the Grotto isn't a guaranteed miracle, nor should it be treated as one.

But the Jinsei has been used as a healing force before- both on himself and on Raiden, as well as other mortals.

The Jinsei is brother to the Grotto.

By definition, it should work.

Fujin ensures that he has the Jinsei under his control before he kneels down into the radiating energy.

And carefully, he lowers the Revenant into it as well.

There is a pained gasp as soon as Kung Lao touches the energy.

Fujin feels how the Revenant's body tenses in his hold and finds himself tightening his grip on the man, afraid that he might lose his grasp on him.

Settling on his knees, Fujin keeps an arm hooked around the back of Kung Lao's shoulders, just barely keeping them above the surface. His other hand moves to help submerge the rest of the man's body. He tries to keep the motion slow, to ease the Revenant in, but he feels the painful thrashing underneath him and reluctantly uses force to finish what he has started.

The yellow energy under the Revenant's skin flickers and pulsates; it glows bright as it spreads out like solid veins under his skin- flaring up into a chaotic frenzy. The energy fluctuates, and he sees the blend of yellow and blue as the Jinsei begins to run through his body. It looks as though the conflicting energy might burst out of his skin- and for a moment, Fujin lets his panicked imagination envision what it would look like.

It feels like he can hear the pitched crackling of lighting in his head.

But instead of it coming from Raiden, it's coming from Kung Lao.

It's coming from his body, from corrupted energy threatening to implode on itself.

It is one of many fears coming to life.

Using the weight of the man's armor to keep his body submerged, Fujin moves a hand to Kung Lao's face and cradles his head to his chest. He doesn't want to watch how the man's already pained expression turns to agony. His fingers curl against grayed skin and Fujin closes his eyes as he listens to the Revenant choke through each gasp for air, as he listens to how the man's breath catches in his throat- too much in pain to scream out.

He hates the thought.

But if the Grotto cannot cure the corruption in Kung Lao's body, than dying here is a better fate than what awaited him otherwise.

"I'm sorry," Fujin whispers, to no one but himself.

He knows Kung Lao cannot hear him.

_"I'm sorry."_

* * *

He doesn't know how long they remain there.

He doesn't know how long he has stayed, holding the other man, forcing him into what felt like an acid pool rather than a healing one.

Fujin does his best to regulate how the energy moves around them; he keeps it in constant motion, keeps it circulating, treating it like blood inside of veins- taking the bad energy out and replacing it with the good. But with every cycle that passes through the Revenant, he feels the man jerk from the opposing energy; he hears the hiss of pain, lingering and drawn out as the corrupted energy keeping him alive is slowly siphoned out of his body.

He thinks it has been hours based on the subtle ache in his shoulders and back.

[He has focused both his and the Grotto's energy on Kung Lao, ignoring his reoccurring physical ailments.]

Fujin lets his mind focus solely on the Grotto, emptying himself of thoughts- giving himself a small sense of reprieve in the situation.

It lets him put everything into one thing, allowing him to avoid the conflict within himself.

And he feels his focus shift as the body in his hold finally begins to relax.

Fujin feels the tension give away and feels the weight in his arms go limp, feels how Kung Lao falls heavier against him now.

He doesn't open his eyes until he hears the staggered breath that breathes warm against his throat.

Fear grips at his body but he forces himself to lean back, to look down at the Revenant in his arms.

But there is no Revenant.

The yellow energy under his skin is gone, finally drained out by the Grotto.

Once dark-gray skin is now a pale-white.

It is still cracked; it still shows old wounds and scarring.

But it is a strong start.

Kung Lao is still breathing.

He is quiet and his skin is beaded with sweat; his face now marred by a look of painful exhaustion, of having one's entire body and mind reset after twenty-five years of torture.

But he is alive still.

Fujin hears and feels the heaviness of relief escape through his lips before he moves his arm around the man's body and pulls him against him- pulling Kung Lao against his chest once more. And he holds him there, pretending that he can feel their hearts beating against one another again.

It is relief that brings tears to his eyes, that presses his lips against the Shaolin's brow.

* * *

"Lord Fujin?"

He stirs at the voice, at the call of his own name, and questions just how long his eyes have been closed. Fujin blinks a few times, tries to get his mind back into focus before he looks to the man in his arms. He already knows the voice did not come from him; it is disappointing, but he knows he cannot get discouraged so soon.

It will happen eventually.

_It has to._

Straightening up as best he can, Fujin looks over to where he knows the voice came from.

And with it, he spots a familiar face standing just at the edge of the Grotti.

"Li Mei?" Fujin speaks.

He has known the Sun-Do village Headship for decades now, and he knows that he can spot the woman from anywhere. And yet, he still finds himself surprised to see her here- especially so soon after what had happened. It has been months since he had last seen her.

"When did you get here?"

Li Mei offers a smile as she crosses her arms, looking more like she is trying to warm herself up with the gesture. "A few hours ago," she answers. "General Blade gave me a lift as soon as she told me what had happened."

Of course.

Li Mei used to be a constant around the temple.

She had first worked with Master Bo'Rai Cho at his winery in Outworld; it was there that the old Shaolin Master recognized her potential. He brought her to Earthrealm, to train with the Shaolin and better hone her combative skills. She blew most of their training classes out of the water with her skills; an unknown woman from a rural Outworld village was on par with their greatest upcoming graduate.

She had been offered a position with the White Lotus, but had turned it down despite meeting the qualifications for it.

Li Mei had been adamant about remaining in Outworld and taking over the Headship of Sun Do from her aging father.

Fujin had told her before that there would always be a seat for her if she changed her mind.

And she had assured him that she wouldn't, but that she appreciated the gesture.

"Master Bo'Rai Cho is healing," Li Mei starts, as she crouches down onto the balls of her feet now. "He looks bad but he's already conscious and talking when he can. He told me that I would find you here."

Fujin is not surprised that Li Mei has already asserted herself and has taken charge around the Jinsei in everyone's absence.

It was that kind of leadership and drive that the White Lotus sought after.

"Lord Raiden is resting as well as one can," she continues, and her voice drops a little as she speaks. "There's a storm raging outside, I can only guess that it must be his doing."

"He is in a precarious state," Fujin nods, much her evident dismay. "He exercised a lot of energy to clear the Jinsei- and while he was successful, I fear that it came with a price."

He tries not to think of Raiden; he tries not to think of how weak the man had looked, how he had collapsed out of the Jinsei as soon as it had been cleansed. Try as he may, Fujin couldn't recall a time where he had seen Raiden exert that much force and energy. He had tended to his brother as well as he could, but he knew there was only so much his power would allow him to do.

"He will pull through," Fujin continues, "but... I do not know what part of him will wake up first."

Shinnok's energy could not be destroyed.

But it could be absorbed.

And the thought of it chills him to the core.

He doesn't want to think of Raiden taking on Shinnok's energy to save Earthrealm.

He doesn't want to think of how his brother had not hesitated to do so, bearing no pause in putting himself at risk of whatever might happen to him.

Raiden had always said that he would be a martyr for Earthrealm if it came down to it.

Fujin had just always hoped that it wouldn't come to that.

"I should've been here."

"Nonsense," he replies. "There was little that could have been done to change the outcome here. Not in such a short amount of time. Perhaps... if we had been more observant years ago, things would've been different. The responsibilities here lie on us, no one else."

If he and Raiden had paid closer attention to things, if they had take better precautions years before...

Things would be different now.

But there was no sense in thinking of such.

What was done is done.

"I would never forgive myself if something had happened to you, Li Mei."

She goes quiet for awhile, perhaps to accept his excuse.

"Why are you down here, Fujin?"

He figures the question should be asked.

After all, he should be with Raiden, he should be with Master Bo'Rai Cho.

He should be doing the job that she is right now.

He should be anywhere but where he is.

But he thinks with where Li Mei is sitting, and with how far into the Grotto he is, it is impossible for her to tell what exactly he is doing. It's impossible for her to see the former Shaolin in his hold, especially given how submerged his body is underneath the glowing energy.

To her, it may just look like he is here by himself.

And for a moment, Fujin contemplates just leaving it as that.

But he knows he can't.

He cannot lie to Li Mei.

"Shinnok brought the Revenants here," he answers. "It was... difficult to see them after so many years. They've changed more than I expected them to; some of them were barely even recognizable."

He can still feel the cold chill under his skin after bearing witness to the enraged Revenants.

A freezing touch that had swept across his body and chilled him down to the bone.

"I couldn't let them leave, I didn't want them to- not after everything we've failed to do for them," Fujin continues. "And yet, they still escaped after Shinnok's defeat, evading us once again. But..." his voice trails for a moment as he focuses on the weight in his arms again. "I managed to separate one from the rest."

"You separated one?" Li Mei repeats.

"I caught him in a wind current- threw him into the wall until he lost consciousness. It took more tries than I wanted it to," Fujin answers, and then adds. "I'm not proud of it."

It sounds crude to say out loud.

He's been preventing himself from thinking about it.

But the sound of armor being crushed and bent out of place keeps resonating in his head.

It wasn't an act he wanted to do, but without it, they both wouldn't be here now.

He would simply ask for forgiveness for his actions later.

"... He never fought back," Fujin finishes, needing to remind himself of the fact.

His own reluctance had made the wind current unstable; it had given the Revenant plenty of opportunities to free himself from it.

And yet, the man hadn't.

"Who is it?" Li Mei questions. "Who did you separate?"

He finds himself hesitating to respond.

Because he knows how the answer will affect her.

"Kung Lao."

"Kung-" his name dies somewhere on her lips as she begins to repeat it in disbelief. There is a pocket of silence and Fujin thinks she may be trying to figure out if he is being honest with her. When she does speak, her voice is quiet- almost barely audible with the distance between them. "... Where is he?"

"He's with me," Fujin answers, feeling the instinctive pull of his hands around the unconscious Shaolin.

He leaves his answer at that.

Li Mei moves from the balls of her feet to her knees now, and he's almost convinced she would enter the Grotto to join them.

"... How is he?"

Her question is even quieter, even softer than before.

It hurts to hear it.

"He's alive," Fujin assures, "but I do not know past that."

"Is it bad?" Li Mei asks.

He doesn't want to answer.

"It is... difficult to say," Fujin begins, unsure if there is an unwanted answer to give. "His corruption is gone, but... he hasn't woken up yet. The Grotto cured him, but it was not kind to him during the process. He is exhausted." He pauses and moves a hand to the man's cheek once more; his skin is still cold. "After two decades of depending on Quan Chi's energy to keep his body alive, I don't know if he can live without it now- or for how long."

"He's strong," Li Mei reminds, quickly at that.

And Fujin knows it.

But how much of his strength has been retained after so many years crippled in the Netherrealm?

"Surely he'll pull through for me, right?"

Fujin hears himself chuckle at the remark, knowing well that Li Mei is trying to offer some light to the somber mood.

There was no denying that Kung Lao had once fancied the woman, especially given how much time she used to spend around the Wu Shi Academy- and how much time the two had trained with one another. Kung Lao didn't often train with the other students, but he would spar with Li Mei at the drop of a hat; she was an avid challenge for him.

And there was no denying that Li Mei returned his affections, despite usually turning down the attention.

She had even given Kung Lao a new insignia to wear before the Tournament, telling him that it had been blessed as a good luck charm.

And he had worn it every day until their departure to Outworld.

[And Fujin had returned it to her after the Tournament.]

"He would wake up right now if he knew you were here," Fujin replies.

And Li Mei smiles in response.

"I wish he did know," she remarks, perhaps more to herself than anything. "... When he wakes up, will you let me know?"

"Of course."

* * *

Fujin tracks the movement of the sun based on the shadows that curve over the head of the dragon that winds itself around the Grotto's walls.

As the storm continues to pass through, it is getting harder to keep track of.

He wonders if it was the sun or the lightning that he has been tracking instead.

Either way, he's certain that it's been a day and a half cycle since he first stepped into the Grotto.

* * *

Fujin brushes his fingers against Kung Lao's face once more.

He strokes the man's cheek and wipes away the beads of sweat that continue to collect on his skin.

He finds himself repeating the gesture again and again.

It has been years since he has last seen the Shaolin's face in person.

And while it has changed from the youthful look he had bid farewell to before the Tournament, Fujin still sees some resemblance in the man.

When Fujin brings his hand to cup Kung Lao's cheek, he focuses on the sharp contrast between their skin. His is a subtle bronze, while Kung Lao's is almost a transparent white; he can almost count the veins visible under his skin. It is much paler than it used to be, but Fujin tells himself that it is the easiest thing to be fixed. Getting color back into the Shaolin's skin is the least of his worries.

He feels the roughness of Kung Lao's skin against his own; he feels the cracked texture to it underneath his palm.

It has been damaged and dried out by the Netherrealm fires.

There is a fear that if he squeezes the skin too hard, it will split underneath the force.

When Fujin follows the rough patches on the man's jaw, he feels another odd texture under his touch.

And when he follows it, he feels the pull of scar tissue stretched across the Shaolin's cheeks- long, jagged and narrow.

And when he follows the scarring, he feels the different knots from where they overlap.

And he feels just how many knots there are, invisible to his eyes before, but now all the more clear the moment he is aware of their existence.

He tries not to think of them.

Tries not to think of how some of the scarring lines up with his fingers- and when Fujin mimics a subtle raking motion, he can follow the scar patterns all the way down to the man's jaw.

He tries not to think about it at all.

But he knows that he should.

[He has seen plenty of self-inflicted injuries to know what they look like.]

He should face the consequences of his own lack of actions.

And face what his inactivities had done to the man he had once looked upon as a son.

"What happened to you?" Fujin whispers, as he brushes his fingers over the scarring once more. "What could have lead you to do something like this?"

He already knows the answer, but he just wants to speak out loud- he just wants to speak about anything to fill in the silence. He wants to know if Kung Lao can hear him; and if he can, he wants him to hear what needs to be said.

"Twenty-five years is a long time to be gone," he continues. "I hate to think how it will take another just for you to recover, for you to get back to where you once were. And by then, your life may already be over. This isn't how I foresaw your future, how I foresaw your life turning out. The moment I heard your name at the Academy, I knew you were destined for something great- and I was right. You took down Quan Chi, Shang Tsung, and Goro; you surpassed those your ancestor could not defeat. You never knew how proud I was after hearing that."

News between Outworld and Earthrealm fluctuated.

He should've been suspicious when dialogue stopped entirely between them.

By the time he had found out what had happened during the Tournament, it was too late to do anything.

"I can still remember everything like it happened yesterday," Fujin continues. "I was so caught up in my own things, in my own agenda, I never made it as a witness. But when Raiden came back, when he came back alone, I knew something had happened. I could feel it when he walked in. I can still hear myself asking where was everyone, over and over again. He didn't answer. I think because he knew that he didn't have to."

He spent years waking up to that memory playing over and over again in his head.

"Raiden warned me that living with mortals would weaken me, that it would make my position as a Protector God even more difficult to do... and he was right."

He slips into silence.

He isn't sure what else he wants to say.

There is more but he cannot bear to say anything else.

Fujin touches at the tight knot of scar tissue under Kung Lao's left eye, unnerved still at the amount of scarring there is, unnerved at the thoughts that would've possessed the man to do such a thing.

He feels the man flinch in response.

His whole body stills at the reaction.

Fujin waits, and feels the hitch in his throat as he watches the man's expression pull once more.

It is not in pain this time, but there is still a struggle to it.

"... _Fujin_ -"

He hesitates at the sound of his name, at the strained voice that speaks it.

Had he not seen Kung Lao's lips move for himself, he would've assumed his name had come from someone else once more.

"I'm right here," Fujin whispers, as he strokes his thumb across the man's cheek. "I'm right here..."

His heart is in his throat as he feels a sense of life coming back to the Shaolin, as he feels the way the man moves in his hold- barely, but the movement is there. He tries to readjust his own hold, to give the man more leeway, to allow him to make himself more comfortable.

As badly as he has wanted this, he admits that he hasn't considered what he should do now.

"How do you feel?" he questions.

It is an unreliable question.

But Fujin feels the need to ask regardless.

Even if he doesn't expect an answer.

Kung Lao gives a long exhale, struggling with the motion.

"... You should've left me to drown in here."

He feels the tight knot in his chest at the words.

It is the last thing he wants to hear.

Another declaration for death.

"I couldn't- I would never," Fujin starts, struggling through his own words before he pulls the Shaolin against him once more.

He hears the low groan Kung Lao gives at the sudden action, at the tight squeeze of the arms now around him. And he thinks, given the man's armor, given everything the Shaolin has been through, it is probably the last contact he wants.

For a moment, it is still again.

His head and his entire body is thundering.

Fujin feels a shift in the liquid energy around them and feels the brush of fingers against his arm; he feels his skin pull tight as sharpened nails touch just enough to rake against him. But they move and soon he feels the weight of those fingers as they grab onto his sleeve. It is a tight grab; a sudden flux of strength, perhaps fueled by desperation.

He feels how they curl tight against his shoulder, feels the subtle tremor in the opposing fist as it clings to him.

"I thought I would never hear your voice again."

Kung Lao's voice is low and still strains when he speaks.

That odd vibrato he spoke with as a Revenant, that sounded like two voices speaking at once, is still there- but the voices sound misaligned now. It sounds like he is trying to find a voice that doesn't exist between the two he has now.

But it is there, almost.


	2. Chapter 2

Fujin holds the now former Revenant tightly against him as he carries the both of them out of the Grotto.

He pauses as he steps back onto solid ground, back onto moss-covered stone; he waits and listens.

Kung Lao is already unconscious again.

His spark of life already snuffed out by exhaustion.

But Fujin waits and listens to the man breathing, slow and steady again.

There is fear that he is only awake, that Kung Lao is only alive because of the Dragon Grotto's energy- and that now they are separated, it is still possible for him to slip away.

But he doesn't.

Kung Lao still breathes even without the Grotto's assistance.

And that is all Fujin needs to know before he continues on.

It is difficult to keep his head clear, but as Fujin makes his way through the Wu Shi Academy, he forces himself to keep his thoughts at bay- as best he can anyways. He knows he could have easily ascended through the roof of the Dragon Grotto, but he needs some time to recollect himself; he wants to move around, to get the feeling back into his body, to give rationality a chance to return to him.

The Wu Shi is empty of its students and teachers.

Raiden had put out a call for them to retreat, to remain hidden beneath the Academy's floorboards just before Shinnok's arrival; a precaution well made in advance.

Li Mei has more than likely already passed on the news to them.

They will be at the Jinsei Temple now, helping to clean up the death and destruction that was done there.

Their absence gives him silence as Fujin makes his way through the open corridor and decorated archways, as he eventually makes his way outside- out into the storm that's rolling just overhead.

Fujin hears the wind howling all around him.

He feels the way it whips and batters at his own skin, no longer recognizing him as it's Commander.

Black clouds circle around the top of the mountain, already masking the highest peak as it seems destined to swallow the mountain whole.

He can feel the erratic energy that shoots lightning into the cliff sides, that leaves a smoldering cloud in its wake.

It is already out of control, and it has barely started.

There is hesitation before Fujin gathers the energy necessary to teleport the both of them to the temple, just barely avoiding a bolt of lighting that strikes the courtyard tile behind him. The harsh winds howl and circulate around them, almost battering him around- threatening to put him off-course.

When his feet hit the slick tiles of the Jinsei courtyard, he realizes just how heavy the rain coming down on top the temple is; the same rain that has yet to reach the bottom of the mountain. It is cold and piercing, easily soaking him to the skin and bone, turning his braid heavy with water and matting it against his back.

His first thought, as unfortunate as it is, is that at least the rain will wash away the blood from the courtyards.

It will erase the evidence of battle on the outside.

There is a change in the air as well.

It is much heavier and far colder than it is at the foot of the mountain.

Fujin feels it like a cold fist in his chest, wedge somewhere in his throat every time he tries to breathe.

He can feel Kung Lao shivering under the sharp winds that whistle and scream across the open court of the Jinsei, and it is the only thing he can focus on as he cuts across the tile and ducks into the temple itself.

It is quiet and desolate on the inside.

There's hardly a sound, let alone a person as Fujin makes his way through the overwhelming corridors and heads towards the massive archives that the Jinsei harbors. He splits his time across several temples, each with their set of duties that he attends to, but with the Jinsei, he spends most of his time in the archives- organizing and adding new entries, adding more to the collection that dates back to Earthrealm's creation.

There is a small room beyond the archives, where he has passed out in after too many late-night studies.

That is where he goes first.

By the time he makes it to the room, it feels like his heart is in his throat again.

He has underestimated just how loud and chaotic the Jinsei Temple would be, but Fujin knows that it is still the best place for the both of them. He knows that he needs to be here, not just for the Jinsei itself, but for Raiden, for Master Bo'Rai Cho- and now for Kung Lao as well.

Laying the man down, Fujin begins the careful process of removing his heavy, Revenant armor- regretting that he hadn't done so before, but knowing that his actions had been in the heat of the moment. He had been on a time limit. It had been a blind panic in grabbing the Revenant before the others could. And there is still plenty of regret in knowing that he couldn't save more, that he couldn't save the others.

But Fujin knows that if he can do it once, than a second chance is still possible for them.

He tries to ignore the way Kung Lao's skin cracks and bleeds with his movements.

With every tight buckle he pulls off, unlatching and loosening the armor that confines him, Fujin feels blood coming from the skin underneath it.

By the time he is done, by the time the last piece of armor is tossed aside, his fingers and hands are coated in blood; there are red droplets dripping onto the hardwood floor beneath him.

The Grotto had re-balanced his energy, because that was all Fujin had focused it to do.

He can deal with the injuries.

Kung Lao's skin is still split open from where it was in his Revenant form, except now it is gaping wounds instead of glowing with energy. The slightest touch against them causes the man to flinch, but it has to be done. They would be better off with stitching, but that wasn't an option available to them right now. All he can offer is to pad the injuries and keep them covered, to keep the blood from dripping.

As Fujin binds the man's arm with a bandage, mindful about the quiet groans that are escaping him now, he considers that if Kung Lao wakes up again, if he is stronger the second time around, he will take him back to the Grotto.

The Grotto should be easier on him the second time around.

As he works, Fujin can see scarring from former injuries littered across Kung Lao's body.

Injuries that weren't there before he was dragged into the Netherrealm.

He tries not to think on it.

Fujin sits on the edge of the bed, the last of the injuries taken care of, and watches how Kung Lao breathes as though having to re-learn how to. He blames it on the stress, on the change in altitude; the Jinsei sits higher than most people think, and the air is thinner than expected. Perhaps a poor choice on his part, but it is still the best place for them to be.

He hesitates before he reaches out and places a hand to Kung Lao's chest- and he feels the rattling of air underneath his palm.

He feels the faint pulse of a heart beat.

And it is enough to convince him that what he's done is right again.

It may be a long journey ahead of him, but Kung Lao will be better here.

Fujin leaves the man to sleep, to recover from the pain the Grotto has put him through.

He has to force himself to leave, and it feels like the walk back into the temple is the longest distance he has covered. He wants to stay with him, to keep an eye on him- to be there for him. But he has other responsibilities, other matters to take care of.

Fujin tells himself that he won't be gone long.

He steps back out into the storm, feeling the strength of it circling around him once again.

In some ways, it feels good.

He wants to feel the wind around him; he wants to feel the cold breeze, the freezing rain against his skin- as painful as it might be.

It reminds him that victory was theirs.

But it is the flash of lightning in the corner of his eye that catches his attention.

Another bolt that strikes at the mountainside, leaving behind a charred scarring in its place- a reminder of its power.

And with it, it brings a hollow weight to his chest.

* * *

Once more, Fujin makes his way through the temple, guiding his own path as he heads towards the one room he knows he should be in.

He can feel the tension in the air as he draws closer to it.

He can feel the energy running across his skin like invisible hands, like grasping fingers trying to grab and pull him back- as though trying to warn him, trying to get him to see the omen that awaits him.

But he draws closer to the open doorway despite it.

And when he hears the quiet voice coming from inside, he forces himself to step in.

"Fujin-"

It is Li Mei again.

She gets to her feet out of habit was he walks in.

He barely hears his name coming from her though.

His eyes are already focused on Raiden.

His brother looks every bit like he has fought against the Revenant, like he has fought against Shinnok. What wounds he sustained are healed, but only on the surface; Fujin can still see them underneath the man's torn clothing, underneath the skin that is still bloodied and bruised.

The Jinsei was not properly balanced by the time it was cleansed; its power exhumed and exhausted, unable to properly heal the wounded God.

And absorbing Shinnok's energy had played its part as well.

His brother looks pale and weak against the bedding underneath him.

Fujin reaches out and touches Raiden's hand as he draws closer to where the man in resting.

He doesn't feel the spark of energy that usually resonates in Raiden's touch.

"How has he been?" Fujin asks, quiet as he speaks.

"He's still alive," Li Mei answers, "that's all I can tell you."

It is the same answer he had given to her before, about Kung Lao.

And now he knows how it feels to hear it.

"I'll give you some privacy," she continues, as she moves to leave. "I need to check on Master Bo Rai Cho anyways."

Fujin nods at first, but only recognizes her departure when he feels the brush of her hand on his back and feels the subtle squeeze of it around his arm. He doesn't know how she can balance so many things at once- but he's glad that she can, and that she does.

"In my room, behind the archives," he starts, catching the woman at the doorway. "- I know you have enough you're dealing with, but... if you want to see Kung Lao, he's there."

Fujin can see the spark in her expression, as though she had been wanting to ask but not without prompt.

"Is he..." her voice trails before it can finish her question.

"Yes," he nods. "He's in rough shape, but he'll pull through."

Li Mei says nothing.

But her expression says enough for her as she nods and disappears into the hallway outside.

* * *

He sits with Raiden for as long as his body can will itself to stay awake.

Fujin hasn't realized how exhausted he is until now, never realizing just how much energy had been spent while he was in the Grotto.

He wants to speak, he wants to say something even if Raiden cannot hear him.

But every time he tries to talk, no words come out.

There is plenty to be said between them.

And yet, he cannot bring himself to say any of it.

He keeps two of his hands cupped around one of Raiden's.

There is no energy coming from either of them.

* * *

" _Fujin_."

A quiet voice calling his name, and a hand shaking at his shoulder stirs him awake.

Fujin pushes himself up from where he has been sleeping, completely unaware of when he had passed out to begin with. His head feels heavy; his reactions delayed as he finds himself blinking once or twice just to get his vision to clear, to get a thought to even form.

Raiden is still unconscious beside him.

He doesn't mask his disappointment, but he does turn to see who has woken him.

It is Li Mei again.

"Has something changed?" Fujin begins, as he sits back now, feeling the tight strain that pulls across his shoulders and neck as he does so.

"No," she answers, simply at best. "Come on, let's walk- we could both use it."

He wants to resist, but the subtle pull on his arm is enough to convince him otherwise.

Fujin stands, looks Raiden over once more, before he moves to follow Li Mei out of the room.

His entire body feels heavy now despite the rest- but even now, he cannot be certain if he has even rested to begin with. It feels more like empty sleep; and he feels the weight of it as it settles uncomfortably over his body when he moves. He doesn't know how long he was out for, but it was certainly doing worse for him than it was doing good.

The two of them walk the interior hallways first, avoiding the weather outside as best they can.

But even the cold breeze has chilled the air inside of the temple.

Fujin finds himself worrying more about Kung Lao.

The man had always been hot-bloodied by nature, always the first one to overheat in the sun. In any other circumstances, the man would've loved this weather; he would've welcomed the chilled breeze and freezing rain. The thought stirs up old memories of how Kung Lao had once fallen asleep outside just before a storm, abet a light one, and didn't wake up until it was over.

But Fujin remembers how the former Monk shivered when he carried him across the courtyard- and how Kung Lao continued to do so as he removed his armor, and still did so after all of it was gone. His skin had been cold to the touch, but it was hard to judge considering it had been cold from the very beginning.

The Netherrealm was nothing but fire, and twenty-five years spent living there had no doubt destroyed his body's ability to regulate itself in any other temperature.

Fujin doesn't know how well Quan Chi's magic has kept his body alive.

But he has seen Grandmasters Kuai Liang and Hanzo, as well as Jackson Briggs recover from the same effects- at least on a physical level. He hasn't checked in on them recently, so he isn't up to date on anything that has changed since they last spoke.

But they lived only a fraction of the time Kung Lao has spent under the same curse.

"It's been some long days," Li Mei speaks first, breaking the chilled silence between them.

Fujin can't even recount how many days have passed.

Or if that many have passed to begin with.

But this is the first time he's noticed how exhausted the woman looks.

"How are you feeling?"

It is Li Mei asking the question, and yet it should be him instead.

"I've traded out one person I love for another," Fujin replies. "I haven't felt this alone in a long time."

The words sting when he says them out loud.

But there are no lies hiding between them.

He has gotten Kung Lao back after such a long absence.

But it is at the risk of losing Raiden.

"I couldn't do this without you, Li Mei," Fujin adds on, trying not to sound unintentionally ungrateful for the woman's help. "You're doing the work that I should be doing- and you shouldn't have to. I am grateful to have you here."

Li Mei chuckles softly in response and lightly knocks her shoulder into him when they turn the next corner of the corridor. "The Jinsei is too much for one person to take on- even for a God like yourself, Fujin," she speaks. "You were always a proponent of helping others in time of need; I'm just practicing what you preach."

"I didn't exactly have this in mind when I said that," Fujin remarks.

"Yes well, I've tended to plenty of wounded men in my lifetime," Li Mei replies. "It has become an unfortunate habit."

He can feel the pain in her words when she talks.

"How is Master Bo Rai Cho doing?" Fujin asks. "I haven't taken the chance to go see him yet."

An overlook on his part.

"Oh, about as well as one can be," she answers. "His injuries were as expected, given what happened, but he's in a good headspace. He goes in and out, but when he is awake, he can hold a conversation; he knows about Lord Raiden, and the storm that's going on- he's worried about it as well. I told him that it wasn't his place to, at least not until he was better. He didn't like the answer, but there wasn't much he could do about it."

Fujin gives himself the leniency to chuckle at Li Mei's story.

She and Master Bo Rai Cho could spar words about as well as they could spar in battle.

And neither of them took lesser words from lesser people.

It was like watching two immovable objects trying to push one another.

Master Bo Rai Cho used to joke that having Li Mei around kept him young, but that she caused his blood pressure to skyrocket every time a conversation turned into a debate. Which was something Fujin was always quick to remind the Shaolin Master was his own fault.

"He'll be fine," Li Mei gave as a final assurance. "Given the state of his injuries though, it wouldn't hurt for him to start considering retirement, at least from the Academy. He'll be fine working around the Jinsei, but I've seen how the latest classes have looked- it's a gamble if he'll be able to keep up with them after this."

"Master Bo Rai Cho will only retire if he knows that you will take his place," Fujin reminds.

And his remark is greeted with a resonating shake of the head.

"Then he should hope he recovers better than I expect him to," she finishes.

"If he hears you speaking about him like this, I have no doubts that he will ensure it."

Li Mei gives another soft laugh- and it's a nice break given the somber mood, the somber atmosphere.

Fujin hates the idea of breaking it, but there is another question that lingers between them.

"Did you see Kung Lao?"

And he sees the subtle twitch on the corner of her lips the moment he asks.

It's like she wants to smile but can't bring herself to go through the motions just yet- not with this topic at least, despite her cheery, if not exhausted attitude from before.

"I did," Li Mei nods- and the sharp inhale that follows makes it sound as though she's trying to control herself. "... He looks terrible."

"He does."

Fujin doesn't want to agree with the statement, but he does.

There is no way of getting around it.

"I got him washed down, at least until I realized that was just the color of his skin now. It's much more gray than it used to be- he's a lot paler than he used to be," Li Mei continues. "I took care of some of his injuries as well- I know you did most of the work, but I have a little more experience with proper dressing."

Fujin isn't surprised by her remark; he has already assumed that she would've gone back over his handiwork with her own.

She never was quite satisfied with anyone else's work.

And in this scenario, that trait was even more critical.

In all fairness, she really did have more experience with these hands-on ordeals- and he is thankful for it.

"I trimmed his nails, or whatever they were," Li Mei remarks. "I hope he won't be upset about that."

"I don't think he will miss them," Fujin assures.

When he thinks of the black claw-like nails that had grown from the ends of the man's fingers, he thinks of the knotted scarring on Kung Lao's face.

"I put another blanket on him as well, tried to make him comfortable, but... I don't know if it worked. He didn't really respond to anything- but he's breathing and that's a good sign, with all things considered." Li Mei pauses, this time fiddling with a buckle on the front of her shirt; a nervous habit.

And Fujin realizes the reason she is speaking as much as she is is because of her nerves.

She has now seen three of Earthrealm's greatest at their lowest points.

Two of Earthrealm's trusted protectors, and a former third, now beaten and exhausted by an ordeal she has missed entirely.

Fujin cannot help but to wonder what was going through her mind when General Blade told her what had happened here.

"His face is... cut up- or was cut up," she continues. "He's covered in scars, none of which I recognized. I know you warned me about him being in rough shape, but I couldn't have anticipated seeing that."

"His time as a Revenant was not easy," Fujin remarks.

And it's a remark that doesn't need to be said.

Li Mei is silent for the time being, and once more Fujin is reminded of just how tired she looks.

She has been carrying most of the weight of the Jinsei on her shoulders- and now with being reminded of Kung Lao, with coming face-to-face with him, it looks as though what little energy was left has been drained out of her.

He cannot imagine what has already gone through her head.

"If you could save him, does that mean the others are possible as well?" Li Mei questions.

Fujin nods first before he even considers another answer.

But he doesn't want to consider a lesser one.

"If we can get a hold of them, yes, I believe so," Fujin answers. "I hate to consider Kung Lao as a trial run, but if he pulls through- _when_ he pulls through, then we can consider it a success. It's just- I don't know how much of him still remains. And when he does recover, this isn't something he'll be able to move on from with ease; he can't just put this whole matter behind him."

"Kuai Liang, Hanzo, and Jackson were able to move on with their lives," Li Mei reminds.

And it is a thought he has already considered before.

"Not easily- and their time spent is not even half of Kung Lao's," Fujin replies- and hates that he feels like he is shooting her optimism down.

Li Mei touches him on the arm again and squeezes it in her hold.

"Then we'll just have to figure it out when we get there," she assures. "It may not be our decision to make but... we can do what we can to help him."

He doesn't want to wait that long to figure out if something will work.

But there are no other options for them.

They will simply have to wait.


	3. Chapter 3

They swap shifts between them.

With each of them keeping an eye on one before switching to the other.

It feels like wasted energy but Fujin knows he has a commitment to both Raiden and Kung Lao.

And at this point, he cannot choose one over the other.

He is responsible for both.

He is also responsible for Master Bo Rai Cho, but Li Mei convinces him to keep his focus on the other two instead. The old Master has already woken up several times now and is fine by all accords; he is not one they should be worried about. She keeps an eye on the man between shifts, cycling herself between the three of them, and keeps the old Master company when he is awake.

"He knows what you're going through." Li Mei assures him when they pass one another in the corridor.

The squeeze of her hands around his arms is becoming a comfort now.

"All he requests is that if something changes, you personally let him know."

_If_ something changes.

The statement sticks out to him more than it should.

"Of course," Fujin assures in return. "With hope, I will be speaking with him sooner rather than later."

This entire ordeal is a daunting task for him, let alone for Li Mei.

And yet, she keeps up with him, to no surprise.

Still, Fujin convinces her to sleep when she can, to keep herself from burning out- although the advice feels as though it has come too late.

It is not often that there is a down period, but she assures him not to worry about her. She has been through the ring like this plenty of times before, she knows how far she can push herself- and she knows when her limit is.

"I'm keeping an eye on myself just as much as I'm keeping an eye on everyone else here."

Li Mei is attentive with Raiden.

Awake and eagle-eye for anything that might trigger a spark.

But Fujin has walked in to see her asleep at Kung Lao's bedside, taking heed of his advice.

She always has one hand curled against his chest, just barely tucked underneath the blankets, ready and waiting for a sign to wake her.

Her head is always resting on his shoulder; a gesture that used to be common between them.

It feels like a quiet sign of grief; a moment taken in silence that cannot be shared.

Fujin always finds it difficult to wake her, to disturb her in the stillness that she needs.

More often than not, he steps back and returns to Raiden, and waits for her to come to him when she is ready.

* * *

"Fujin."

He looks up at the call and sees Li Mei at the door, one hand rubbing an eye as she walks in.

"It's later than it should be, why didn't you wake me up?" she questions; a subtle accusation.

"I couldn't bring myself to," he admits. "You needed the sleep- and you looked comfortable, I didn't want to disturb you."

"Well, my back is saying otherwise," Li Mei chuckles, before she waves her hand and gestures for him to leave. "I've got things covered from here, you know the routine."

Fujin chuckles with her as he gets to his feet, feeling the same lingering stiffness in his legs.

"If you don't mind, I'm going to check on Master Bo Rai Cho at some point this hour," she starts. "He usually wakes up around now- and I'm sure he'll be looking forward to seeing me again."

"He always does," he replies, as he moves to leave. Fujin pauses to meet the woman at the doorway and moves a hand to squeeze at her shoulder. "Do what you need to, Li Mei. I do not think much will change in your absence, but if something does, I will know."

"Are you just saying that, or are you sensing something that I can't pick up?" Li Mei questions.

"Unfortunately, I'm just saying it."

* * *

Fujin finds himself at Kung Lao's side once more.

He watches the man for any sign of movement, for any sign of life that might still remain inside of him.

It hasn't been that long since he pulled the Shaolin out of the Grotto- maybe a day, maybe longer. Fujin knows it's possible that the man is still sleeping off the effects, sleeping off the exhaustion, but the continued stillness and silence burrows itself under his skin with each passing hour.

He can't help but let his mind wander to the worst case scenarios, despite his own attempts to combat the thoughts.

Kung Lao has woken up before however.

There seems no reason to believe that he won't a second time.

Fujin takes one of Kung Lao's hands between both of his own, feeling the lingering cold of the man's skin.

He squeezes it lightly, hoping to bring some warmth to it.

And it reminds him of Raiden, of how he does the same for the both of them.

And how useless he feels sitting next to them.

Fujin runs his thumb across Kung Lao's knuckles and feels the unevenness to them- and he tries not to think about how many times they have been broken, how many times they have healed incorrectly, causing them to feel and appear misshapen.

When he presses more firmly against the man's knuckles, feeling the pull of scar tissue under his touch, Fujin feels fingers curl against his hand in response.

The gesture is enough to knock him from his thoughts.

Enough to pull him out of his own head as he shifts his focus back forward.

Fujin waits, trying not to get ahead of himself, as he looks to the Shaolin once more and squeezes his hand again, a little firmer than before; a test of reflex. And almost immediately, he feels the slight pull, the slight tug as Kung Lao tries to pull his hand free from his grasp. The gesture is still weak, but Fujin thinks that had Li Mei not clipped the clawed nails from the Shaolin's fingers before, he might feel them cutting through his skin right now.

It is a small movement, but one that carries promise.

He isn't sure if it's seconds or minutes that go by without added movement, without further curling from the hand trapped between his own.

Seconds or minutes before Fujin watches as Kung Lao's eyes open once again.

White and bloodshot, before they roll back into place.

His black eyes are hazy and unfocused.

They're cloudy, like they're covered in a film.

Fujin realizes that they don't look much different from the eyes he had as a Revenant; it's the same white mask that had diluted his eyes from black to a hazy gray.

But they're not glowing.

And it's a small enough change to make a difference.

The man has awoken without much warning, without so much as a facial twitch.

Fujin finds himself lacking words.

He wants to speak, but he doesn't know what to say.

He's not even sure if he can find his voice.

It's the same as it was in the Dragon Grotto.

He is relieved, beyond so- but despite his wishes, it still feels unexpected.

"Lao?" Fujin whispers as softly as he can while still remaining audible.

His voice doesn't garner a response, not immediately anyways.

He watches as Kung Lao wordlessly closes his eyes again.

He hears the hard breath the Shaolin takes and releases, before the man opens them once more.

His eyes are more focused this time around, although they have yet to look away from the ceiling.

They have yet to look at him.

"... Where am I?" Kung Lao's voice is as equally quiet as his was.

It's as though the man is mimicking him.

"You're with me," Fujin starts, knowing well that his answer gives little in the way of Kung Lao's question, but it is something for them to start with. At least the Shaolin knows that he is safe regardless of where he is.

He stands up and slowly moves to the edge of the bed, releasing the hand in his hold for the time being. Despite the movement being subtle, he catches the flinch Kung Lao gives at the sudden motion; there is no other physical movement from him, but Fujin questions if his previous thought still stands.

Does the former Shaolin still feel safe around him?

"You're at the Jinsei Temple," Fujin gives as a better answer.

And he hopes the man still remembers it.

Kung Lao's eyes don't follow him, or even look towards him still.

"Jinsei?"

It's a quiet repeat of the word.

"You're in Earthrealm," Fujin confirms.

The man doesn't reply.

Seconds of utter silence and stillness pass by before Kung Lao moves his other hand and touches at the bandage wrapped around his left arm; his fingers drag and move around as though they're looking for something. The place he's touching is exactly where his skin had been split open by corrupted energy, where there is now an open wound in its former place.

Fingers curl in vain against the bandage before they move downward, searching his forearm for the second split- only to be met with the same thing.

There is visible hesitation before Kung Lao lifts his hand above him, staring at his own skin.

Fujin wonders if the man is confused or surprised by the lack of glowing energy under his skin, or by the lack of the gray tone that had settled in after his death. The Shaolin is simply paler now; there is no malformed tint to his skin anymore.

He watches as Kung Lao curls his fingers in towards his palm and runs his thumb over the shortened cut of his black nails.

And Fujin knows that the man knows something is missing.

The slow realization is almost painful to watch, but he knows that it is only the beginning steps to getting better.

He is already better now than during the entirety he has spent as a Revenant.

Fujin hesitates as he reaches out and takes Kung Lao by the hand he has extended above him, holding it carefully in his grasp.

And he watches as the man's eyes finally move, as they snap onto the movement and follow it over to him.

And he feels those eyes finally land on him.

They're not the same.

They're not the same eyes as the youthful monk who departed Earthrealm two decades before.

They never would be, but they could have a different sense of life from here on; it didn't have to be a lost cause.

"Fujin?"

Despite Kung Lao recognizing him before, he still feels a wave of relief wash over him a second time.

A moment of clarity has stuck.

"You remember me," Fujin speaks, as he sits down on the edge of the bed now, still clinging to the Shaolin's hand.

"It'd be hard not to when you sound like that."

The remark catches him by surprise.

In any previous situation, he's certain that Kung Lao would laugh at his expression- laugh at how easily it is for him to be caught off-guard.

But there is nothing.

Not even a twitch on his lips.

"You think I've forgotten?" Kung Lao questions.

And the subtle squeeze from the Shaolin's hand seems to be in reassurance.

It is a gesture he clings to.

"It's been a long time," Fujin replies, and he hesitates before he moves his other hand to Kung Lao's face, cupping it once more.

And once more, there's another visible flinch as the Shaolin starts to pull away from him, before he stops himself. He can't get over how almost fearful the man is with physical touch now. Each flinch gives away that something awful happened to the man, something more than what met the eye.

"I know you spoke my name before, but there was no guarantee that you would do it again," he continues.

Kung Lao doesn't relax under the touch, but he seems accepting of it- for now.

"Where were we before?"

"The Dragon Grotto," Fujin answers. "I took you there to heal you."

"That's an interesting way of phrasing it," Kung Lao remarks.

And he's not the least bit surprised that the man remembers every minute of pain he had gone through while he was submerged in the Grotto's energy. It was not an experience taken lightly- by either of them.

Fujin watches as his eyes close again and he hates the motion.

He doesn't want Kung Lao to stop talking.

He has gone twenty-five years without hearing him.

And he doesn't want to stop talking either.

There is still so much for him to say.

"I-"

"I know," Kung Lao cuts him off before he can finish.

And those eyes open again.

The white film on them a little more faded, although his eyes still look gray.

"Saying it doesn't change anything."

It stings, but he accepts it.

"I know," Fujin replies. "How are you feeling?"

A second chance at the same useless question.

"How is it supposed to feel to be alive again after years of being dead?"

Not exactly the answer he was hoping for.

"I wouldn't know," he answers.

"I wouldn't either."

Fujin waits, expecting another answer, only to watch as Kung Lao seems content with what he has said.

Content doesn't sound like the correct word to use; there's nothing content about what was going on.

If only in the thought that their conversation is calm and feels easy, even if neither of them know what to say.

For a brief moment, it feels like a normal conversation.

Fujin has prayed for this moment for so long and yet, now that it is here, he doesn't know how to proceed. He's wracked with surfacing guilt, with the inability to predict just how Kung Lao is going to react to anything he says or does.

With Jackson, Kuai Liang, and Hanzo, they were all different.

The first day, the first few hours after regaining themselves, they were relatively calm.

They were mostly confused, mostly relieved that the nightmare was over.

Raiden had described it as though they had woken up just before they died.

That there was a clear disconnect between them and the memories they were holding.

Almost like they were stuck in a disembodied state.

But by the second day, everything came crashing back on top of them.

Fujin had been absent during those times; he only knew what Raiden had told him.

And right now, he would give anything to have Raiden beside him again, to guide the both of them through this process.

A quiet groan pulls him from his thoughts and Fujin feels Kung Lao pull his hand from his hold, before the man pushes away at the hand on his face. He watches as Kung Lao touches at one of his shoulders, touching at a bandage Li Mei has carefully taped down close to his neck. There's an evident look of pain on the man's face; it's the only expression he's seen the man show so far.

He doesn't like it.

"You didn't need to throw me into the wall so many times," Kung Lao speaks.

Fujin's already forgotten about that ordeal entirely.

Or at least, he hasn't considered how it might still affect the man.

Given how loud the man's armor had been while it was being crushed and bent out of place, Fujin shouldn't be surprised that it had left behind bruises and cuts. He can't imagine what the Shaolin's back might look like given that it took the brute of the attack.

"I wasn't going to fight back," Kung Lao continues, "- but you didn't know that."

"I didn't," Fujin nods. "Admittedly, I panicked; I didn't want you to get away."

"Knocking me unconscious was a little much."

He chuckles quietly at the turn of the conversation.

Again, it almost feels like normal banter between them.

"Perhaps- but it made things a lot easier," Fujin continues. "Just know that... I didn't want to do it."

"I don't blame you."

The words give him some ease.

Although he's certain that the man's opinion of it will change eventually.

"Do you want to know what happened?" he asks, prodding lightly at the topic.

And he catches the way Kung Lao's fingers stop from picking at the bandage on his shoulder.

"No."

"No?" Fujin repeats.

"No."

The answer isn't entirely uncommon, but Fujin is still surprised by it nonetheless.

There isn't even a hint of curiosity, a hint of wanting to know what had happened, to know how he had gotten here.

"... It's just me, isn't it?" Kung Lao asks.

And it's the hint of curiosity he was expecting.

He still hates the question though.

"It is," Fujin nods.

Kung Lao doesn't ask why.

And Fujin's certain that the man already knows the answer.

"You got lucky," Kung Lao continues. "I hope you don't think the others will be so easy."

The words almost feel malicious, almost like a threat.

But it sounds more like advice.

A realty check to not get his hopes up, to prevent him from getting hurt.

Fujin moves to touch at his arm, and when the man doesn't resist, he squeezes it lightly under his hold.

And he watches as Kung Lao covers his hand with his own, returning the gesture.

* * *

Fujin leaves the Shaolin to sleep again.

He doesn't want to.

He doesn't want to stop talking while things are still calm between them, while things can still be said without anger.

But Kung Lao was still recovering from the Grotto, still recovering from the battle beforehand.

What energy he did have was exhausted by their conversation.

Moving back through the temple, Fujin takes the outer corridors, the covered pathways outside. The rain is coming down harder than it did before, creating a fog that covers the courtyards. The air is thicker as well; the lightning far more prominent than it was before.

There is little comfort to take from it.

But the rolling thunder overhead is better than silence.

Fujin stops to check in on Raiden- and with the exception of his brother, he finds the room empty.

He knows where Li Mei is, and he remembers what she had said earlier about Master Bo Rai Cho, about letting the man personally know if there was a change. There is finally news to share- and he is long overdue for a visit.

Moving further down the same corridor, Fujin thinks he knows where the old Master is resting- and is proven correct when he hears the faint voices a few rooms down. He follows them, knowing well that Bo Rai Cho was never far from Raiden's side when he was needed. And even though there is little the old Master can do, the man is still close by.

Coming to the open doorway, he notes that his approach has gone unnoticed to the two figures inside.

Fujin takes the time to stand back and watch.

Bo Rai Cho looks about as well as Raiden and Kung Lao do.

About as well as a man can look after getting scorched by Shinnok's power.

But he is alert and sitting up already- abet heavily bruised, cut up, and looking exhausted.

Li Mei is at his side, holding his hand as she has done with the other two; although in this case, it seems more as though she is holding it to hold the old Master hostage- which is nothing new.

He cannot hear what they are saying, but he can hear the occasional laugh shared between them.

And he is glad that there is someone here to break the somberness with.

Fujin walks in when the two are done laughing, wishing not to interrupt the moment until it was over.

"Bo Rai Cho," he starts, offering what tired smile he can produce. "You're looking... better than most people here."

"That is not a good thing from what I've heard," the old Master replies, before the man gestures for him to come closer.

There is a shared chuckle between them at the remark as Fujin follows the man's gesture and draws closer to his bedside. He reaches out and takes Bo Rai Cho's free hand, squeezing it lightly before he sets it back down- well aware of the tight bandages that are holding the man's fingers together. Even with the brief contact, he can still feel the heat of Shinnok's fire on the man's skin.

"You look tired, Fujin," Bo Rai Cho remarks.

"I am," he admits. "It's been longer days as of late."

His comment goes without saying.

"Has something changed?" Li Mei asks- and there is no denying the almost desperate look in her eyes, the desperate tone in her voice.

It is subdued, but he can still hear it.

"Yes," Fujin nods, and he briefly moves a hand to her shoulder, squeezing it underneath him. "Kung Lao woke up about an hour ago. He's asleep now, but we were speaking for a short while."

There is a light, a spark of hope reflected in her eyes.

"How is he?" she presses.

"It is hard to say," he answers- and tries to think of the best way to answer honestly without dampening her hopes. "He is... disconnected, I think. Numb to the whole thing. I don't think the full gravity of his situation has hit him yet- but he also seems aware of what's happened." Fujin pauses, trying to think back to their conversation. But all he can think of are those gray eyes, hollow and dead on the inside. "He recognized me, which is a good sign."

"That is good news," Bo Rai Cho speaks.

The old Master is the only one here with the most experience around those who were once Revenant. He cared for the original trio when Raiden brought them to the Jinsei, freshly pulled from the Netherrealm, freshly pulled from Quan Chi's control.

Jackson moved on to the Special Forces.

Hanzo stayed with Takahashi, eventually freeing himself from Scorpion.

"Kuai Liang was not so lucky when he woke up," the man remarks.

The Lin Kuei Grandmaster had the most difficult recovery compared to Jackson and Hanzo, at least in the initial days.

He had had his body ripped from flesh to metal and then back to flesh.

It had left the former Lin Kuei struggling to remember who he was.

He had woken up in a room full of strangers and had asked for his brother, asked for Bi-Han.

Kuai Liang stayed with Bo Rai Cho on the Shaolin temple grounds; the two eventually worked on reclaiming the Lin Kuei from Sektor, from the Cyber Initiative.

"This is different," Fujin reminds.

"It doesn't dampen the experience."

He doesn't concede, but he admits that maybe the old Master has a point.

"Would it best for just you to visit him, or could I as well?" Li Mei asks.

He doesn't think he has the heart to say no, even if it's the right answer.

Kung Lao was in a fragile state, one of which was unpredictable.

They had no idea what he would do in the following days- or even when he woke up again.

Fujin already feels as though his presence didn't offer much comfort to the man.

There is a deep seated fear that seeing someone else, seeing someone like Li Mei will only remind Kung Lao of the time he lost, of the time now wasted. What future he might've had twenty-five years ago was no longer possible.

And what a future it could've been.

"I don't know- I don't even know if he was happy to see me," Fujin remarks. "He didn't hesitate to bring up how I caught him in the first place."

Li Mei offers a subtle grimace, and he knows the woman has seen the aftermath more than he has.

"It was necessary," she reminds, "- but he did have a nasty cut on his shoulder from it."

"I can't imagine what his back must look like."

"I was too scared to look," Li Mei admits before she gets to her feet, releasing Bo Rai Cho's hand as she does so. "Sit." She gestures for him to take her chair as she moves to step around him. "I'm going to check on Raiden and then check in for the night.

Fujin waits until she is gone, until he can no longer hear her footsteps down the hallway, before he sits down.

And he has to fight the urge to bury his face into his hands.

"I don't know what to do," he speaks.

"It is not shameful to admit that," Bo Rai Cho replies. "What happened was... unprecedented, but how it ended was better than we could have hoped for. It could've been much worse."

"We could've gotten more of them," Fujin remarks.

"Perhaps, but you are struggling with one- and it is the one you were closest with," the man reminds. "Do you think you could handle all of them?"

Fujin despises the thought, but it brings a sense of clarity.

It reminds him of his conversation with Li Mei before.

Kung Lao's case is far different from the first three.

But if they can get through to him, if they can bring him back, if they can... regain some sense of normalcy in him, then it meant that it was possible- that it was plausible to do the same with the others.

"How do I help him?" Fujin questions.

"That I cannot answer."


End file.
